Mermaid Hair

When I was pregnant, I told Daniel that when Avery's head came out to please clip a bow into it. I wasn't kidding. Sadly, Avery was born via c section and Daniel wasn't even in the OR... so 8 hours later, after a brief stint in the Medical Intensive Care Unit ('cause I like to try to die when having babies... fun times) I finally got to see my sweet little red headed beauty. She was naked and bowless and I was pissed. How dare my baby go 8 hours without a bow and a something pink!?! I mean for heaven's sake, I brought 14 bows to the hospital. No lie... 14.

After a quick kiss, I slapped a bow on that wisp of red hair and we began our relationship as mother and daughter. I have to admit; however, that I've longed for her to have long mermaid hair. Like fire engine red, Ariel hair that I could curl and brush with a fork... well not really the fork part but you get it... long, red locks. 2 1/2 years later, Avery's rocking approximately 1-3 inches (depending on what part of her hair we're talking about) of fine, not so mermaid hair. I have to believe that Ariel also had no hair until she was 3 and then she woke up one day with that coif. It makes me feel better. It's coming... eventually... I believe in you pretty hair fairy!

Today, Avery was sitting still eating Lucky Charms... except the off brand... 'cause $4.99 for a box of the real stuff is a crime. Mom of the year, I know. Anyways, she was still and I was brushing her mullet hair and spraying it with my magic Sauve kids leave in conditioner that helps her hair not stand straight up like she put her finger in a light socket when I began to think that MAYBE ... just maybe... I could put it in pig tails. Get excited y'all because......

TADA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Naturally, I proceeded to follow her around the house taking pictures and posting them to instagram because THIS was a moment 2 1/2 years in the making! I know this is vain. Really, I do. But I was SO excited. I have had serious hair envy. Ask Tabitha, who texted me a picture at 3am of her newborn baby with more hair than my 10 month old had. I believe my text back was "screw you!" followed by "and congratulations! She's beautiful!" 

I'm aware that technically only half of her hair is in pig tails because the top is seriously maybe 1 inch and I can barely pry it off her scalp but let's just take a moment to celebrate because OMG she's precious!!! So here are 7 of the 60+ pictures I took of Avery on our walk today in pigtails.... covered in some delicious Red Bowl chicken and broccoli. Obviously, taking pictures BEFORE taking a 2 year old to eat Chinese food makes more sense but when your husband says "wanna go out to eat?" I hear "wanna not have to cook" and I jump in the van before he changes his mind.

The cutest thing you've ever seen, right?! I thought so. 

Now off to buy pigtail bows! HUZZAH!

Little Mama

Avery has recently discovered the world of baby dolls. I have to say, it makes me SO happy! Don't get me wrong.. I don't collect dolls... I just love all things girly and nurturing. My sister gave Avery a "my first Disney doll" Ariel for Christmas that she likes to play with. Avery takes Ariel from the doll pack n play to the stroller and then into the shopping cart. She sleeps with her as well. I've caught her many times holding Ariel saying "hi baby!" in a sweet high pitched voice like I use when talking to babies. Speaking of mimicking, Avery also now talks on her "phone" aka old calculator. I feel like she's become such a big girl in the last week. Despite being a peanut (32% for height and 7% for weight), she seems so grown up to me!

Christmas 2011

We had a wonderful Christmas in the Wise household! I was very pleased how undramatic and laid back it was! On Christmas Eve we went to nana and poppi's house to open presents with them, have lunch, spend time with grandparents and go to Christmas Eve service at Grace Covenant. I can't remember a Christmas Eve that we haven't gone to service as a family and this is such a sweet tradition. Because of the kids, we went to the early 5pm service which worked out great. Despite not napping, Parker entertained himself pretty well with Cars 2 diecast cars and by eating an entire can of puffs. Unfortunately, about 5 minutes before service was over, we noticed a puddle on the chair he was in. Somehow he managed to pee out of his diaper....opps. Avery ate puffs, napped in my arms and smiled at everyone around her. My favorite part of service was when Parker wanted to dip his own piece of bread into the juice and take communion with the rest of the family. Each family takes turns gathering around the communion table, taking communion and praying as a family. While we were praying Parker was doing his VERY best to blow out the candles on the communion table. I'm pretty sure he spit all over the rest of the communion bread.

After service, we enjoyed soups and desserts at my parent's house along with some friends and my mother in law. That night, aunt Kelly came home with us, we put the kids to bed and Daniel Kelly and myself put together Parker's train table. 

We got to bed around 12:30am and the kids woke up at 7:45am which we were very pleased with! I'm sure the days of waking up at 4:30 in the morning on Christmas will come eventually but I think we have a few more years! Parker does not understand Santa this year so we didn't give gifts from Santa. Parker was really into opening presents and then getting them out of the box and playing with them. Surprisingly, Avery also enjoyed tearing paper and trying to eat it.

We ate homemade cinnamon rolls from Brandi that were to die for and then nana, poppi, aunt Kathy, and my grandparents came over to see the kid's loot. We took them to visit the new house and then went out for Chinese. BEST CHRISTMAS LUNCH EVER! Cheap, tasty, and I didn't have to cook it!

Later in the afternoon, we had Christmas round 3 with my mother in law, Fabio, brother in law and his son, Jakob. The boys had a wonderful time playing and opening more presents. They were both more interested in Avery's baby cell phone, little kitchen and shopping cart which was pretty cute! We ate ham, baked potatoes, green beans, biscuits, salad and desserts. 

Overall, it was a wonderful Christmas and fun memories! Enjoy the pictures (out of order)...

Parker was so excited about having more Cars 2 die cast cars in his stocking!

Avie on Christmas Eve playing with Pey Pey

Avery LOVES Peyton's paws!

The look on Kelly's face is PRICELESS! I think we've ruined having kids for her!

We did it! We put the train table together!

Kelly and the fire house having a quarrel. I think the fire house was winning at this point.

Nana and poppi gave us all spin brushes. Parker loves his!

Christmas Eve jammie shot.

Avery and grammie

Opening presents

Happy chaos

Presents make excellent bongos

This shiny wrapping paper make Avery go crossed eyed. Hilarious.

The best way to open a present... gnaw through it.

Happy to be eating a bow instead of wearing it

Playing with play dough! I'm still finding bits of it everywhere! It's now officially an outside toy!

Playing with his new Mack hauler at nana's house.

My parent's beautiful tree!

My mom, aunt Kathy (her sister) and Avie

Parker got a buzz lightyear dress up outfit.... Kelly really likes it.

Chewing on Ariel.

Another great Kelly facial expression. We re-gifted a Scottish food gift basket to her as a joke. She was perplexed to say the least.

Avery, you're too pretty to wear a bag on your head!

Family fun!

 I did a great job of getting pictures of Daniel and myself, right!? I've GOT to get better at taking group shots and making sure my camera works the room! Regardless we had a wonderful Christmas with lots of fun celebrations of the birth of baby Jesus!